Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2080: Red gem

Previously on Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure...
Upon arriving in the flame elemental village, Shota is greeted by a group of skeptical elders who quickly accept him after he presents the rock from the rock elementals and the Mark of God on his hand. The flame elder, more talkative and rash than the stoic rock elder, reveals they have awaited him per an ancient prophecy and leads him toward the village's energy source. They approach an active volcano, where the intense heat poses a challenge, but the elementals part a river of lava to reveal a magically cooled entrance. Shota follows them into a cave descending deep into the volcano, growing wary of what lies ahead.

Just as I had anticipated, a chamber brimming with magma lay in wait for me.

However, the layout of this magma chamber didn't match my preconceived notions at all.

This wasn't an ordinary magma chamber in the slightest; it appeared crafted specially to permit entry for individuals.

Transparent tunnels, formed from some crystalline material, separated us from the surrounding magma. These passages evidently guided us toward the heart, where yet another crystalline chamber awaited.

Upon stepping into this magma chamber, I sensed the divine energy emanating from ahead right away.

"Evidently, this chamber was built to contain the source...yet it's odd that it's structured to let others reach it. Did the gods foresee this event, or was there another purpose?" Such thoughts raced through my mind as I gazed upon the crystal pathways encircling us.

Evidently, access wasn't limited to one entrance; numerous openings dotted the volcano's perimeter.

The deeper I examined this setup, the more perplexed I grew by the entire affair.

Yet, my curiosity waned the moment I arrived at the crystal corridor's terminus.

The cause was an object that seized my focus right there.

It resided squarely in the midst of this crystalline chamber.

What drew my gaze to it was...

"As anticipated, this divine energy carries the attribute of creation."

A red gem occupied the core of this crystal chamber.

By my estimation, this object paralleled the stone pillar at the rock elemental village's center. It served as the origin of the domain inhabited by the flame elementals.

Thus, this was the entity I needed to infuse with my divine energy.

Upon this realization, I scanned the crystal chamber for potential hints. I aimed to gauge the red gem's former magnitude at peak capacity.

Still, I observed no encircling ring like the one around the stone pillar.

The flame elemental elder initially appeared puzzled by my actions, but realization dawned, prompting it to explain, "It occupied the whole chamber."

This revelation startled me, yet I then inspected the crystal chamber's walls.

A closer examination revealed a reddish hue embedded within.

I'd assumed the magma encasing the crystal chamber imparted that red tint. But a nearer look disproved this notion.

For the shade differed distinctly from the magma's crimson.

Under scrutiny, it aligned precisely with the gem's central red.

In truth, the red gem's contact with the crystal walls had imparted this coloration, akin to a dye rather than mere fragments lodged in the surface.

Though an unusual phenomenon, it barely registered as I refocused on the red gem.

With it positioned before me, a single course of action presented itself.

Nevertheless, prior to nearing the red gem, preparation was essential.

As the realm's core, this gem undoubtedly generated the pervasive heat throughout. Approaching it would demand substantial endurance.

Ultimately, my assumption proved incorrect.

"What's the issue? Why do you stand frozen like that?" The flame elemental elder regarded me oddly upon witnessing my fixation on the red gem.

I faced it and replied, "I'm steeling myself against the heat radiating from this object?"

In response, the flame elemental elder fixed me with yet another peculiar stare before inquiring, "What heat?"

Matching its confusion, I responded, "Given it's the origin here, ought it not to be the heat's origin as well?"

Upon hearing this, a grin spread across the flame elemental elder's features.

Without a word, it positioned itself behind me and urged me onward.

Though I tried to resist, the anticipated heat failed to materialize.

Quite the opposite, the warmth seemed to dissipate the nearer I drew to the red gem.

As though this gem, whatever its nature, actively drew the heat from the surrounding atmosphere.

Beyond a particular threshold, the flame elemental elder halted and declared, "This marks my limit. You'll need to proceed alone from here."

A peculiar smirk formed on my lips at these words, but I pressed on as instructed.

Reaching the red gem at last, I noted the ambient heat normalizing around me. Apparently, the gem neutralized the locale's intense warmth, restoring standard conditions.

As my hand made contact with the red gem, I pondered inwardly, "Did the gods implement this as a safeguard during its creation, enabling approach by others?"